"The first victory we can claim is that our hearts are free of hatred. Hence we say to those who persecute us and who try to dominate us: ‘You are my brother. I do not hate you, but you are not going to dominate me by fear. I do not wish to impose my truth, nor do I wish you to impose yours on me. We are going to seek the truth together’. THIS IS THE LIBERATION WHICH WE ARE PROCLAIMING."
Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas (2002)

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Online and real world campaign to free Cuban artist launched

Three months in jail and counting for his art.

On March 28 at 3pm at La Paja Recold located on Ave 35 #4202 between 42 & 44 Apartment 5 in Havana, Cuba there will be a concert, expo, performance and "disrespect" all under the headline: "Freedom for Danilo." These members of civil society are testing the boundaries of what is permissible in Cuba. Increased international visibility may provide some protection.

The graffiti artist Danilo Maldonado, known as El Sexto, remains imprisoned in Valle Grande prison. Today, March 26, marks three months that he has been imprisoned. Authorities rejected the habeas
corpus appeal presented by independent attorney Laritza Diversent, of the NGO Cubalex .

For now, according to the independent lawyer, there is still no trial
date set and she hopes that there will be a change of custody, because the
events in which El Sexto is involved are a “misdemeanor.”Also, Diversent said that she had sent information to international
bodies so that they will speak out on the situation of the graffiti artist.

Fellow activists and supporters have been using the hashtag
“#FreeElSexto” to promote solidarity and the immediate release of the
independent Cuban artist. In addition, there is an online signature campaign underway calling for the freedom of Danilo Maldonado.

As the group People In Need reported last month,
El Sexto was "detained on December 26, 2014 on the Malecón esplanade in
Havana as he was driving towards the Central Park to make a performance
with two pigs whose bodies were painted with the names of Cuban
leaders: 'Fidel' and 'Raúl.'